Two Japanese American WWII soldiers from Kaua’i posthumously commissioned as Army officers

More than 80 years after they were barred from military leadership roles because of their ancestry, seven Japanese American soldiers who were once enrolled in the University of Hawaiʻi Army ROTC program have been posthumously commissioned as U.S. Army officers.

They include two from Kauaʻi: Sgt. Daniel Betsui and Sgt. Howard Urabe.

The seven men were killed in action in Europe during World War II while serving in the famed 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team. All seven were denied commissions at the time because of wartime prejudice.

“These Soldiers upheld Army values under extraordinary circumstances. Today’s commissioning honors their service and preserves their legacy for future generations,” said Gen. Ronald P. Clark, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific.

Family members, military leaders and community representatives gathered to honor the cadets’ service and sacrifice, inspiring pride and respect for their legacy more than eight decades after WWII delayed their commissions.

Betsui was born in 1922 in Hanapēpē and attended the University of Hawaiʻi beginning in the fall of 1940. After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Hawaiʻi Territorial Guard and later the Varsity Victory Volunteers. He was inducted into the 232nd Combat Engineer Company of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in March 1943.

Betsui was killed Aug. 2, 1944, near Livorno, Italy, during the Rome-Arno Campaign when a crate of TNT exploded, killing 11 soldiers.

Urabe was born in 1923 in Kapaʻa. He also enrolled at the University of Hawaiʻi in 1940 and entered the Territorial Guard after Dec. 7, 1941. He later served with G Company, 2nd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Urabe was killed July 4, 1944, near Port Piombino, Italy, after being struck by artillery shell fragments during the same campaign.

“The ceremony was great. I am so happy that we were able to attend this ceremony. It means a lot,” said Clifford Urabe, nephew of Lt. Urabe. “Here it is over 80 years later, and to see my uncle get recognized, I am very proud of him.”

The other five cadets honored were Staff Sgt. Grover Nagiji, 100th Infantry Battalion (BN), 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT); Sgt. Robert Murata, 3rd BN, 442nd RCT; Sgt. Jenhatsu Chinen, 2nd BN, 442nd RCT; Pfc. Hiroichi Tomita, 2nd BN, 442nd RCT; and Pvt. Akio Nishikawa, Medical Detachment, 442nd RCT.

All seven men served with distinction during WWII and made the ultimate sacrifice in Europe.

The promotions to second lieutenant were approved in late 2025 by Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, following years of advocacy by veterans groups, historians and community leaders. The decision corrects an injustice dating back to the aftermath of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

After the attack, the seven cadets were removed from the University of Hawaiʻi ROTC program and labeled 4C “enemy aliens,” making them ineligible to continue officer training solely because of their Japanese ancestry.

At the time, they were students preparing to serve as commissioned officers.

The posthumous commissions, conducted in partnership with U.S. Army Pacific and the University of Hawaiʻi, represent what supporters say is a long-overdue acknowledgment of courage, loyalty, and sacrifice.